HARD KNOCKS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Earlier this week, I was teaching a class at the University of Dayton.  It was for “older” students, a “50 and over” program of personal enrichment offerings.  And as I was sharing my experience with addiction, one of my “students” made an interesting statement.  She said, “Today’s generation lacks gratitude for the tough times.  My hard knocks were some of the best lessons I ever learned and I am grateful for them.  These kids just want a pill to fix everything.”

I tend to agree with her.  I used to be one of those who drowned my challenges and “hard knocks” in a swill of 80 proof escape elixir. 

Yet today, I find myself thanking GOD for my struggles almost as much as thanking Him for the “good stuff”.  It has been giving thanks in everything; have gratitude for ALL my experiences from GOD that has really served to help me along the way.

And that brings me to that familiar passage.

…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

I am not saying it is easy to be grateful for the tough stuff, but GOD indicates that GRATITUDE for ALL that we experience is HIS WILL for us in CHRIST JESUS.  Hence there must be substantial value in being grateful for ALL we experience as all of it has value, all of it helps to shape and refine us.

And when we seek to absorb or mask some of those challenging times via artificial means, they don’t have the opportunity to complete their work; we steal their significance, rob them of their intended long term effect! 

We forget that…

we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles. Taken in the right spirit these very things will give us patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope, a hope that will never disappoint us – Romans 5:4-5 (Phillips)

A HOPE worthy of our daily gratitude!

“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.

Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. – T.M.

I love that line… Gratitude…is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God…and that makes all the difference.

So, that is my plan today. I am going to dive into today loving and trusting GOD; hoping that He has those answers and guidance I so desperately need. I am going to open my eyes to the wonder and possibilities even being grateful for its challenges and difficulties; it’s hard knocks.

I think I am going to start with this…

“Lord I am going to do my best with Your help and for Your glory. I realize that there are many different people in the world with a variety of opinions and expectations and some will create conflict and perhaps disappoint me. But I am going to concentrate on being a God-pleaser and not a self-pleaser or man-pleaser. 

I am going to embrace the opportunities of today positively and honorably!

Thank you for the chance of today and whatever it brings.

I am forever grateful for it!

In Jesus, Amen…

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

UNCOMFORTABLE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I have this young lady who I admire a ton.

She has the most supple and receptive heart. She is a “carer” to the core.

Now I know that "carer" isn’t a word, at least the little red squiggly on my computer says it isn’t, but it is a good descriptor of my friend. She loves people. She especially loves "my folks", those who are experiencing the ragged edge of life, and those who are thirsting for something fresh and new.

You know those folks who really need Jesus.

So last night as she was leading worship at FREEDOM this loving spirit, this heart for worship, this “caring” character was clearly flowing and as she pressed in to what the Holy Spirit had for us last night, the evening took an extraordinary turn.

Extraordinary but “uncomfortable” as well.

Let me explain.

She challenged those in attendance to get up during worship and seek GOD in prayer. She challenged the FREEDOM leaders to step into the role of intercessors and prayer partners. She pressed the assembly to put down their fears and apprehensions and allow GOD to move in them personally and intimately.

And for many that was an “uncomfortable” request. It wasn't in the script. It hadn't been planned out. It wasn't what usually happens at FREEDOM. And while some remained in their seats a little perplexed by the goings on, others came forward and offered themselves to GOD and allowed GOD to have them for just a second and to minister to them individually.

It was remarkable. It really was.

The truth is most folks seeking recovery like their “comfort zones”; they like the expected. Give them their 12 steps and 12 traditions; throw in a serenity prayer and a cup of coffee and they are good to go. Start shaking things up a little and you could sense the uncertainty. But GOD stirred many out of their doldrums and changed their night!

But recoverers aren't alone. We all like our “comfort zones” don’t we?

There is comfort in the routine and the expected.

But GOD challenges each of us every day to “step out of our comfort and into HIS CALLING" on our lives. And that is uncomfortable and that takes a little courage; that takes some fearlessness! But…

2 Timothy 1:7

…God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

So we should be able to step boldly from our comfort zones when the Spirit moves us and press into our calling without fear!

Hebrews 13:6

So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

That brings me to a question or two.

Are we willing to be bold when our SPIRIT calls us to step out of the routine and into the unknown? Are we willing to listen and respond to what GOD wants us to do even when it seems strange or feels uncomfortable? Are we willing, like my friend, to put comparisons, routine and culture aside and be obedient to the calling of GOD on our hearts and spirits?

The answer should be YES!

Let's decide today that if and when the Spirit calls that we will step out of our comfort zone and into our calling!

Philippians 3:14

God has called me through Christ Jesus to life...

Something extraordinary will happen. It will.

I love you all…

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

FLARE AND FRIEND

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

"Jesus is with me when the storm clouds gather

He’s standing by my side when I hear the thunder roll

He holds my hand when I begin to tremble

When the winds of this world are blowing strong

Jesus is a fence around His children

His grace is sufficient to stand the storm…"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y7lRt_Rw8M

This is a little of the lyric from Winds of this World, a southern gospel song.  I have likely shared it before.

Yet, I was reminded of it while sitting around the table with the girls from Safe Harbor the other morning.  The Executive Director, Amy had just made an interesting comment to the ladies as they were sharing their progress.

She said, “Ladies you have experienced Jesus as someone who will respond to your ‘flares’.”

In other words, all of you around this table have experienced some severe trials in your lives and when you finally chose to “send up a flare”, Jesus responded and now you are here; healing and moving forward with HIM!

That made me think of that lyric; that little song.

Jesus IS with us when WE NEED Him, when we send up a “flare” He standing by our side, He brings the fence and levies the needed grace.

But then Amy when on to say, “But Jesus also wants to be deeply invested in your lives; more than just the "responder" to your ‘flares’.”

And that made me think, Jesus wants us to be His FRIEND.

And of course, that reminded me of a couple of things.

One, this passage…

(Jesus said) No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you FRIENDS… John 15:15(ESV)

And or course that little song…

What a Friend we have in Jesus…

Truth is friends Jesus is there for our flares and to be our friend.

You (LORD) are loyal forever and ever. – Psalm 119:9 (ERV)

So, today’s encouragement is an elementary one.

Be grateful that Jesus does indeed respond to our flares and that He calls us friends.

And remember…

We persevere best when we rest in God’s devotion to us. - Cooke

Whether after sending a flare or as our Friend.

Have a blessed day…

I love you all!

OPPORTUNTIES for HOPE

DOING AND SAYING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

As a Pastor, I get lots of opportunities to “talk”; in fact, I probably “talked” for 12 or 13 hours yesterday. 

I know some of you are glad you weren’t on the listening end of those exchanges.

Right?

Don’t lie.

But you know what I mean right?

In counseling sessions in front of a group or in one on one’s I get plenty of times to “talk the talk”; offer some suggestions, provide a little direction, maybe even fleck it all with a scripture or two.

But like the cliché says, “Talk is cheap”.

And that brings me to this question this morning…

“Do your actions agree with your words? Are you merely talking the talk or are you walking it too?”

As believers and followers of Christ we are called to action and cannot be confined to just “good” words. If our lives don’t reflect our speech, we are missing the mark and missing the point.

And I will be the first to admit my actions and my words sometimes don’t line up. Either my actions are a poor reflection of what I speak into others or worse yet my words are dismal reflection of the job to which I am called. Either way when the talk and the walk don't align, it sends the wrong message to those around me.

Martin Luther King said it this way:

“One of the great tragedies of life is that men (and I will add women) seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying. A persistent schizophrenia leaves so many of us tragically divided against ourselves. On the one hand, we proudly profess certain sublime and noble principles, but on the other hand, we sadly practice the very antithesis of these principles. How often are our lives characterized by a high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds!”

I love that last line, don’t you?

Bible says it this way…

A man (and woman) is justified before God by what he does as well as by what he believes. Rahab who was a prostitute and a foreigner has been quoted as an example of faith, yet surely it was her action that pleased God - James 2:24-25 (PH)

Yesterday I was sitting around the table with some “Rahabs”.  Yes, I was. 

And they were providing “progress” reports.  They are residents of one of our ministry partners.  And what so inspired me was as they shared how they were progressing with their assignments and spiritual growth, it was clear that as they were DOING their FAITH was GROWING!  Their “DEEDS” were validating their “CREEDS”.  They had migrated from merely professing to practicing and it was making a huge difference in their lives.

They were no longer TALKING recovery and restoration, they were WALKING it too!  And that alignment was bringing intense blessing and hope!

That brings me to us today.

Perhaps we too can pay closer attention to what we are doing and what we are saying and work a little harder to make sure they both align?

Remember…

Benjamin Franklin said…WELL DONE IS BETTER THAN WELL SAID…

Let’s do BOTH well today!

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE